Global design company Wendelbo has transitioned from a residential brand to a versatile player in both the home and commercial markets with furniture offerings that combine comfort with craftsmanship.

‘Resimercial’ describes the blurred distinction that exists between residential and commercial spaces today. Love or hate this catchy portmanteau, it has a meaningful real-world application, persisting courtesy of clients and designers who seek to create “homes” out of workplaces, hotels and hospitality spaces by borrowing lessons from the real things.

Wendelbo furniture combines comfort with craftsmanship

Wendelbo is uniquely placed to satisfy this appetite for soft, inviting creature comforts in commercial contexts. Six decades on from its humble origins as a small family-run upholstery workshop in Denmark, the now-global brand has recently pivoted to Australia’s commercial market with the help of distributor Cult.

Blending Scandinavian heritage with international design influences

This most recent development reflects Wendelbo’s willingness to evolve. While paying homage to its Danish design heritage, the company differentiates itself by remaining untethered to any rigid trajectories.

“We call our design ‘modern elegance’,” Wendelbo CEO Christian Ernemann tells Australian Design Review. “It’s about a balance between timeless aesthetics, while also being relevant.”

Wendelbo CEO Christian Ernemann

Over the years, the company has crossed borders to collaborate with internationally renowned designers such as Note Design Studio and Jonas Wagell, both from Sweden, or Sebastian Herkner from Germany. 

Wendelbo has also kept an open mind to newcomers. The charmingly minimalist new Duvet collection emerged from a chance encounter with Norwegian design duo Skogstad & Wærnes at a design fair a couple of years ago.

Duvet lounge chair, designed by Skogstad & Wærnes for Wendelbo

Each innovative in their own way, Wendelbo collaborators share an ability to strike that balance between timelessness and relevance.

“We try to look for designers we believe have that touch,” Ernemann says, adding that Wendelbo will often ask them to design a product within an unfamiliar category.

“For many designers, it’s also interesting that they’re being challenged in a different application from what they are famous for. And we like to work with designers who challenge us, right? I think that’s how you push the brand and you push your development,” he says.

Wendelbo curved Montholon three-seater sofa, Arc coffee table medium and Raya rug sand

With Case, for example, Wendelbo challenged Herkner to design some of the sofas in this collection with high backs, bringing the cocooning calmness of the home into workplace and hospitality settings.

In-house production facilities maintain high standards

Looking ahead, as Wendelbo expands its presence in Australia and the Asia-Pacific, the brand remains true to its core values. Central to those is a commitment to craftsmanship and quality, with in-house production facilities based in Vietnam ensuring high standards.

“I think that’s really what stands out with Wendelbo,” Ernemann says, “that we have craftspeople who are able to do these details that elevate the product from the ordinary.”

Wendelbo Arc coffee table medium

Keeping production in-house also allows Wendelbo to adapt its designs and create customised solutions. This expertise is particularly important when crossing over from the residential into the commercial sector. While their aesthetics might be melding, the functional requirements of furniture remain distinct.

“You need different cushions and different upholstery in a sofa for an office where there’s less maintenance, whereas there are different requirements for the quality if you’re selling to the residential market,” Ernemann explains.

The foundation stones of Wendelbo were laid in 1955. Three generations later, the story of the Danish family with a strong dedication to design continues to unfold and prosper.

Wendelbo Circle coffee table, Raya rug sand and Duvet lounge chair

Photography supplied by Cult.

Explore the Wendelbo collection on the Cult website here.